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Golly, there was some debate on blogs and message boards over the past few days about important events in the world and now i'm going to chip in!

First up - Lily Allen... I must admit I was deeply sceptical when i first saw Lily Allen being interviewed on tv. Sure it was nice to see a young female singer who wasn't trying to be either Slaggy Aggy or one of the pouting blonde girl group clones. But i wasn't convinced that the music would live up to the hype. What a surprise then to discover LDN (mp3) ~ its a proper summer single that sounds like it was concocted (LOVE that word) in a haze of yellow pollen and metropolitan exhaust fumes. And how delightful that the album lives up to that infectious witty first outing - especially the insanely catchy Alfie which contains my favourite use of the word twat since Brian Kinney said "I'd rather have my tongue superglued to a lesbians twat" on the US Queer as Folk...
MP3: Alfie

Next - Paolo Nutini... confession time. I like James "lets be" blunt. Despite the enormous backlash, i still love Back to Bedlam and still think not releasing 'Tears and Rain' as a single was a big mistake. And of course, everyone and their rejected husband is now on the weepy bloke singer trail. But young Paolo seems to be a little different - face of a benetton model, voice of a 50 year old soak. His debut album showcases a talent for elegant, melodic songwriting and an admirable willingness to vary the tempo, which is why 70s soul pop of New Shoes and Stones like swagger of Jenny Don't Be Hasty sit comfortably along the gorgeous string drenched single Last Request (mp3). Just lovely and i don't care if its a guilty pleasure :)
MP3: Jenny Don't Be Hasty (live)

The Recantation - i've been mean to keane. And i still am ambivilent about Is It Any Wonder, but actually their new album is quite ok. I did a scientific study and apparently i like it 71.2% as much as i liked the debut. Which was a lot. Its an elegant collection of songs that shows a maturity in song writing (chorus to Crystal Ball notwithstanding) and the balls to take a few risks with an album that would have sold by the bucket load if they had just released a carbon copy of Hopes and Fears. So Keane, I'm sure you are reading this and dying for my opinion. I'm sorry. Its not the pile of plop i anticipated. Now get back in the studio and write some more gorgeous b-sides...

Other bits and bobs:
Have you ever walked in a club just as a song started playing so you decide its the soundtrack to your entrance? no? Just me and ruthiepoos on saturday night when One Way Or Another started blasting out and we sashayed down the steps to it. Probably looking a right couple of tits. No wonder darren hobbled ahead. Great song of course and here are a couple of covers:
MP3: Mandy Moore - OWOA
MP3: Sophie Ellis Bextor - OWOA

And! Check out this great message board - someone has posted links to almost every kylie bside, rare track and unreleased songs ever recorded! You have to register but trust me its well worth it!

7 Comments:

  1. Anonymous said...
    hey, recently discovered your blog and it's ace.... but 'rapidshare' doesn't work for me. can you offer another way of downloading the files, i know it's cheeky but you got some good stuff. also, i only live up the road, well, the M6, in cannock! keep up the good work and congrats for the other week. keep it real.
    xolondon said...
    I see that the mysterious OTHERS got to you re: Keane. Or maybe Tom Cruise programmed you. :) My review languishes in my drafts, but I'll do it soon.

    That Kylie link is INSANE! I had a lot of that stuff, but def not Harmony and Never Spoken from the Fever years. wheee!

    Paolo is doing Tom Baxter who does Jeff Buckley. So far I am not feeling him. No dislike, just no "ahhhhh"

    Sophie was made to sing OWOA and Mandy was made to sing nothing. Well, I do like her version of God Only Knows (with Old Man Stipe)
    xolondon said...
    PS: Alfie is brilliant...

    Oh, I only say it 'cause I care
    So please can you stop pulling my hair
    Now, now, there's no need to swear
    Please don't despair
    My dear mon frère
    Paul said...
    welcome leon! I am looking at other download options cos it doesn't work for any of my friends either! however, i still think i will keep rapidshare as well cos i likes it :)

    i love lily allen more and more each passing minute. "there's a fella looking dapper and he's sitting with a slapper, now i see its a pimp and his crack whore!" Love it. Period. (the american meaning not the british interpretation. Ew.)

    paolo is so working the romantic in me at the moment...mandy less is working my last nerve but i do like OWOA of hers and God only knows. Oh and i think i liked a song called Crush if that was her...
    D'luv said...
    Ooooh, will have to check... another site did a 'leak' of Kylie rarities about a year and a half ago, when "Lovin' You" and all that jazz made the rounds.... any old PWL stuff on there?

    Hey, keep Rapidshare!!! That's my two cents.

    And by whom are referring to as OTHERS, XO? Hmmmm....
    xolondon said...
    actually i didn't mean you, just some vague entity, although you do have a card in the... Tastemakers Guild.
    Paul said...
    i was a little scared when you mentioned the others. i saw the season finale of Lost....

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